Florence in September: weather, crowds, special events (with printable packing list!) – what you need to know

All you need to know to visit Florence in September: common weather patterns, what to pack, what to book when, how buys it is and special recurring events.

September is a lovely month to visit Florence, a typical end of summer month, with days that are still long and bright, yet usually devoid of that oppressive heat that engulf Florence in July and August.

During September, local life start resuming in Florence, with the kids going back to school and the locals coming back from the traditional Ferie d’Agosto (August summer vacations), yet tourism is still very much in full swing, September is very busy in Florence.

As a result, you see the city in both its incarnations: you an tap into the local, quieter self, yet you’ll find all tourism services and attractions at full speed.

In this quick guide, I share my tips for visiting Florence in September with a special attention to when you need to book attractions and what to pack.

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The weather in Florence in September

September in Florence is a mostly a summer month, with high temperatures, long days and little rain, especially towards the beginning of the month.

Despite this, rain is not out of the question in Florence and recent weather patterns have been less consistent than in the past.

Last year for instance the area of Florence experiences torrential rain, so it is important to know that all rain ‘predictions’ at present must be taken just as an educated guess. The weather forecast becomes accurate only about 3 days ahead.

Despite the unpredictability of rain, usually the temperatures in September are high and you are likely to need nothing more than a cardigan or light jacket at most towards the end of the month.

Florence weather chart (average, sources of this is the weather service meteo.it)

Max	Min	Rainy Days
27C/ 81F	15C/ 59F	About 4 on average

What to pack for Florence in September

September is still overall a warm month in Florence but you want to have some light layers for evenings, for the second part of the month and in case of rain.

Must have for Florence in September are:

Good walking shoes such as summer sneakers. If you are used to cold weather you may also be ok in sandals; if not, summer sneakers are a safer bet especially towards the end of the month when the weather starts veering towards fall

Long pants, cotton or linen works well

Shorts / skirts, still very much wearable at this time

A light cardigan / hoodie

A small gift for you! You can get out Florence printable packing list for September HERE (opens in DropBox, you don’t need to download any software nor pay anything)

Crowd levels

Florence is very busy in September and since the main landmarks are close one to the other, the city center can easily feel overwhelming, but don’t despair!

While the main Duomo – Signoria – Ponte Vecchio stretch gets busy, all it takes to escape the crowds is to turn a corner and you’ll find yourself in blessed quiet.

Do not be afraid to wander and explore Florence’s small streets: you’ll still get to see the main landmarks but you’ll avoid the largest gatherings of people and will see the real city and get a taste of its most authentic soul, without having to leave the center!

When to book what if visiting Florence in September

September is a very busy time in Florence so I recommend to book all your muse see and accommodation well in advance.

Useful websites to book Florence attractions are:

Duomo Climb – from the Official Duomo of Florence Website

Uffizi Gallery – from the Uffizi Official Website / From GetYourGuide / From Tiqets (this one is sometimes more expensive, but we have a5% discount to offer, use the code MAMALOVESITALY)

Need to know! The Uffizi Official website is excellent to secure cheap, skip the line tickets but a little convoluted to navigate. I have here as >>> step by step guide to buying tickets for the Uffizi with screenshots of the different pages)

Accademia (Micheangelo’s David) – From the Accademia Official site / From GetYourGuide / from Tiqets (use code MAMALOVESITALY for a 5% discount)

If you prefer guided tours, I recommend:

LivTours Express Uffizi Guided Tour – to see the highlights with an expert guide

LivTours Uffizi tour for families, a 2h guided tour made for kids, with a dedicated guide that makes the museum accessible and enjoyable for children (recommended for age 6 to 12)

Family tour of Florence city center and Accademia for kids with MariaClaudiaTours, a fun, scavenger hunt based tour for kids age 6 to 11.

In terms of accommodation, I recommend to secure accommodation in Florence in September as soon as possible. The map below shows accommodations options (hotels and rentals) in the area of Florence’s Duiomo which is the center of the city and a lovely, walkable area for restaurants and landmarks.

You can find here >> some tried and tested family hotels in Florence (also suitable for visitors without childen)

Recurring September events in Florence

Festa della Rificolona – this is a local, fun, family friendly festival normally happening on the evening of September 7th which displays of ‘raficolone’ (paper lanterns), markets and music performances

Carro Matto (lit. Crazy Cart): this is a local festivity to celebrate wine harvest and it happens on the last weekend of September. On this occasion, a cart pulled by two white ox and loaded with wine from the hills of Chianti makes its way into the city of Florence, accompanied by a historic parade.

Best things to do in Florence in September

The best things to do in Florence in September are:

Take a walk around Florence city center, making the most of the beautiful weather. You can easily go self guides since the center is so compact and easy to walk

See the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo, from where you can catch stunning views of the city

Take a gelato class (did you know gelato was born in Florence?)

Visit one of Florence’s most beautiful gardens, exceptionally pleasant in this seasons: Boboli, Bardini and Rose Garden are all exceptional destinations at this time

Take a walking tour of Oltrarno and its incredible artisan shops, this is a lovely activity this time of the year as the tour brings you to a quieter part of Florence and the temperature is perfect for a leisurely stroll.

Spend one day enjoying the Tuscany countryside by leaving the city and going to Tenuta Chiudendone for their farm to table experience.

Of course, do not miss Florence’s most famous museums and attractions – always a good idea no matter the season!

I hope you fond this quick overview of what to expect in Florence in September useful. Safe travel planning!

Florence in September – pin this!